The Louisiana State Patrol said an Meaux-Nunez firefighter was killed while responding to an emergency call in his personal vehicle Friday. They said he was not wearing a seatbelt.

The crash happened in Kaplan, in Vermilion Parish on LA 14 around 3 p.m.

The patrol identified the firefighter as 49-year-old Robert Hughes, according to KADN.com.

According to their investigation, Hughes' left the highway and crashed into a ditch.

"For reasons still under investigation, the Hyundai failed to negotiate a left-hand curve and entered a ditch," the State Patrol wrote in a press release. "Hughes, who was unrestrained, was ejected from the vehicle and sustained serious injuries."

He was taken to a hospital where he died.

An unrestrained person in the passenger seat was also ejected and listed in serious condition. 

In a social media post, the Meaux-Nunez Volunteer Fire Department shared:  "Robert was a firefighter, but most of all, he was a friend. No matter what was going on, Robert always put the fire department first. He was the kind of person who was always ready to lend a hand, help a stranger, and be there when someone needed him...Robert, you answered the call when others needed you. You gave your time, your heart, and your life in service to others. You will never be forgotten."

Services for Hughes will be held Aug. 27. 

Visitation will take place 10:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Our Saviors Church in Abbeville. A procession will go from the church to Cypress Funeral Home in Maurice.